Political Capture of Decentralization : Vote-Buying through Grants-Financed Local Jurisdictions

A recent trend in decentralization in several large and diverse countries is the creation of local jurisdictions below the regional level -- municipalities, towns, and villages -- whose spending is almost exclusively financed by grants from both re...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	Khemani, Stuti
Format:	Policy Research Working Paper
Language:	English
Published:	2012
Subjects:	AFFILIATES ANTI-CORRUPTION AUDITING AUDITS AUTHORITY BENEFIT INCIDENCE BUDGET CONSTRAINT BUDGET CONSTRAINTS CASH ASSISTANCE CASH TRANSFERS CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CITIES CITIZENS CIVIL SOCIETY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE CONGRESSMAN CONSTITUENCIES CONSTITUENCY CONSTITUENTS CONSTITUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONSTITUTIONS DECENTRALIZATION DECENTRALIZATION IN GOVERNMENT DECENTRALIZATION REFORMS DECISION-MAKING DECREE DEMOCRACIES DEMOCRACY DEMOCRATIZATION DEVOLUTION DISCLOSURE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION DISTRICT DISTRICT MUNICIPALITIES DISTRICTS ECONOMIC ELITES ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC SHOCKS ELECTION ELECTORAL POLITICS ELECTRICITY EMPLOYMENT EQUALIZATION EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE RESPONSIBILITIES FEDERATIONS FISCAL CAPACITY FISCAL CENTRALIZATION FISCAL DECENTRALIZATION FISCAL DISCIPLINE FISCAL EQUALIZATION FISCAL FEDERALISM FISCAL PERFORMANCE FISCAL POLICIES FISCAL POLICY GAMBLING GERRYMANDERING GOVERNMENT FINANCE GOVERNMENT POLICY GOVERNMENT STRATEGY GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES HEALTH SERVICES INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM INSTITUTIONAL REFORM INTERGOVERNMENTAL TRANSFERS INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEGISLATIVE DECISION LEGISLATOR LEGISLATORS LEGISLATURES LEVEL OF TAXATION LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT LOCAL AUTONOMY LOCAL BODIES LOCAL ELECTIONS LOCAL EXPENDITURES LOCAL GOVERNMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVENUES LOCAL GOVERNMENT SPENDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS LOCAL PUBLIC GOODS LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICES LOCAL REVENUE LOCAL SPENDING MAYORS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS MUNICIPAL REVENUES MUNICIPALITIES MUNICIPALITY NATIONAL ELECTIONS NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS NATIONAL PARLIAMENT NATIONALS NET TAX BURDEN PANCHAYATS PARLIAMENT POLICY CHOICES POLICY ISSUES POLICY OBJECTIVES POLICY STUDIES POLITICAL COMPETITION POLITICAL DECENTRALIZATION POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS POLITICAL MOBILIZATION POLITICAL PARTICIPATION POLITICAL PARTIES POLITICAL PARTY POLITICIANS PRIVATE GOODS PROVINCE PROVINCES PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS PUBLIC PUBLIC ACTION PUBLIC AGENCIES PUBLIC AGENCY PUBLIC ECONOMICS PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE REVIEW PUBLIC FINANCE PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PUBLIC FUNDS PUBLIC GOOD PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PUBLIC INTEREST PUBLIC INVESTMENT PUBLIC OFFICIALS PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PUBLIC POLICIES PUBLIC POLICY PUBLIC RESOURCES PUBLIC SERVICE PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY PUBLIC SPENDING PUBLIC SPENDING PROGRAMS REDISTRIBUTION REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY RESOURCE ALLOCATION REVENUE ASSIGNMENTS REVENUE-RAISING POTENTIAL REVENUE-RAISING POWER REVOLUTION ROADS SOCIAL CAPITAL SOCIAL COST SOCIAL NETWORKS STATE GOVERNMENT STATE GOVERNMENTS STRUCTURE OF GOVERNANCE SUBNATIONAL SUBNATIONAL FINANCE SUFFRAGE TAX TAX BASES TAX COLLECTION TAX DECENTRALIZATION TAX EVASION TAX RATE TAX RATES TAX REVENUE TAX REVENUES TAX SYSTEM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TOWNS USER CHARGES UTILITIES VILLAGE VILLAGE GOVERNMENTS VILLAGES VOTING WAGES
Online Access:	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20100624164225 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3835

Description
Summary:	A recent trend in decentralization in several large and diverse countries is the creation of local jurisdictions below the regional level -- municipalities, towns, and villages -- whose spending is almost exclusively financed by grants from both regional and national governments. This paper argues that such grants-financed decentralization enables politicians to target benefits to pivotal voters and organized interest groups in exchange for political support. Decentralization, in this model, is subject to political capture, facilitating vote-buying, patronage, or pork-barrel projects, at the expense of effective provision of broad public goods. There is anecdotal evidence on local politics in several large countries that is consistent with this theory. The paper explores its implications for international development programs in support of decentralization.

Political Capture of Decentralization : Vote-Buying through Grants-Financed Local Jurisdictions

Similar Items